Dental Crowns in Sharjah

What is a dental crown?

A dental crown is a cover, shaped like a tooth, that fits over what remains of a real tooth. When a tooth is too broken, worn or weak for a simple filling to hold it, a crown wraps the whole visible part of it, holds it together and takes the pressure of biting and chewing. It sits at the gum line and, once fitted, is used just like the natural tooth it covers.

A crown surrounds the tooth on all sides. This makes it different from a filling, which sits inside a cavity, and from a veneer, which covers only the front surface. The all-around coverage is what allows a crown to protect a tooth that has weakened right through.

Who needs a dental crown?

A crown suits a tooth that still has a healthy root while the part above the gum needs extra support to stay strong. Common reasons include:

• A tooth that has had root canal treatment, which becomes more brittle and stays protected under a crown
• A cracked tooth, or one at risk of splitting under normal biting
• A tooth with a large old filling, where the crown replaces what natural structure has been lost
• A tooth broken by injury or heavy wear
• A tooth so decayed that a crown gives it the grip and strength a filling would struggle to provide

Your dentist examines the tooth, often with an X-ray, and explains whether a crown is the right step or whether a filling or another option suits it better. Each tooth is assessed on its own, so you leave the visit knowing exactly which treatment fits yours.

What happens

Fitting a crown usually takes two visits.

At the first visit, the tooth is numbed with local anaesthetic. The dentist shapes the tooth by removing a thin layer from its surface, making room for the crown to fit over it smoothly and comfortably. Where much of the tooth is missing, a build-up is placed first to give the crown something solid to sit on. An impression, or a digital scan, is then taken of the prepared tooth and the ones around it, so the crown matches your bite. A temporary crown is fitted to protect the tooth while the permanent one is made.

At the second visit, the temporary crown comes off and the permanent one is tried in. The dentist checks the fit, the colour and the way your teeth meet, makes any small adjustments, and then fixes the crown in place with dental cement. You leave with the finished crown fully seated and working.

Crowns are made from different materials. Some are all ceramic or porcelain, chosen to match the colour of natural teeth and often used for front teeth. Others use metal, or metal with a porcelain outer layer, chosen where strength matters most, such as back teeth that take heavy chewing. Your dentist talks through which material suits the tooth, its position and your bite, so the choice fits how you use that tooth every day.

Preparing for it

Preparation is simple. Eat and take your usual medicines as normal, and mention any medicines you take, particularly blood thinners, along with any allergies, so the dentist plans around them. Tell the dentist if you grind or clench your teeth, as this guides the choice of material and whether a night guard would help. While the temporary crown is on, chewing on the other side and being gentle with sticky or hard foods keeps the temporary in place until your next visit. Your dentist gives you clear guidance to follow at each step.

Afterwards

Once the permanent crown is fitted, you can usually eat and drink normally the same day, and it is sensible to wait until any numbness has worn off. Mild tenderness around the tooth or gum, and some sensitivity to hot and cold, are common for a short time and settle on their own. The crown may feel slightly new at first while your mouth adjusts to it, and it soon feels like part of your natural bite.

Contact the dentist if the bite feels high or uneven once the numbness has gone, if sensitivity or pain lingers rather than easing, if the crown feels loose, or if it chips or comes off. A crown that has come off should be kept and brought in so the dentist can refit it safely. Swelling, throbbing pain or a bad taste around the tooth is worth checking too, and the dentist looks into what is happening underneath. Reaching out early lets the team put things right quickly.

Caring for your crown

A crown restores and protects the tooth, and the natural tooth underneath stays alive and well when you look after it. Because the crown meets the gum at a margin, brushing, cleaning between the teeth and regular check-ups keep that edge healthy and the tooth beneath sound. Chewing with care and, where advised, wearing a night guard keeps the crown itself in good shape over the years. At each check-up the dentist reviews the crown, the margin and the gum around it, and acts early on anything that would benefit from attention, so your crowned tooth keeps serving you well.

Cost and insurance

The cost of a crown depends on the tooth, the material chosen and whether other treatment, such as a build-up or root canal, is planned first. Dental cover in the UAE varies from policy to policy, and crowns are treated differently depending on whether your insurer counts them as restorative or cosmetic. Ask for a written treatment plan before starting, and check what your policy covers with our team on 06 599 7777, so you have the full picture up front.